November 12, 2010

Apple Expanding their Retail Footprint with Premium Resellers

On November 12, 2010, the Trademarks and Designs Registration Office of the European Union published Apple's latest trademark application for "Premium Reseller" under application 009512385. Apple has filed their trademark under seven extraordinarily detailed International Classes covering all manner of electronics including computers, smartphones, software, electronic games, downloadable content, telecommunications, printed materials, advertizing, education and technical services – but to mention a few. Yet perhaps the bigger news is that this program appears to have been in the works for some time in the UK. Now that Apple is applying for the official "Premium Reseller" trademark, it may be signaling that this program is about to go Global. Yes, an idea whose time has come.

Classic Premium Reseller Examples

Now that Apple has built out one of the best quality-centric retail footprints on the planet for computer and electronics, it appears that they now want to take their retailing to the next level by introducing the Premium Reseller program. Local resellers signing up for the program will have distinctive retail stores that reflect Apple's own standards and services.

A few classic examples of an Apple Premium Reseller include England's ATcomputers (as noted in the graphic below) and Solutions Inc. – as well as macstudio out of Kuala Lumpur.

The Apple Premium Reseller program appears to have been born out of Europe. When you Google-it, you'll see that a lot of the resellers that appear in the search result are from the UK, with a scattering of them in the Netherlands and Singapore. ZDNet's Jason O'Grady first noticed this trend taking shape in Europe as far back as 2006. Evidently Apple has taken the time to plan this out extensively before taking it global. It's definitely an idea whose time has come.

International Class 037: Building construction; repair; installation services; maintenance, installation and repair of computer hardware, computer peripherals and consumer electronic devices. Update: This is also being covered by Apple's US trademark application 85179403 published on November 23, 2010.

International Class 041: Education; providing of training; entertainment; sporting and cultural activities; education and training services, namely, conducting classes, workshops, and seminars in the field of computers, computer software, online services, information technology, internet website design, music, photography and video products and consumer electronics; arranging professional workshop and training courses; computer education training services; training in the use and operation of computers, computer software and consumer electronics; technical consulting in the field of consumer electronics, namely, audio, audiovisual and home and portable entertainment systems and devices; consulting services in the field of selection, implementation and use of computer hardware, computer software and consumer electronic systems for others, namely audio, audiovisual and home and portable entertainment systems and devices. Update: This is also being covered by Apple's US trademark application 85179425 published on November 23, 2010.

International Class 042: Scientific and technological services and research and design relating thereto; industrial analysis and research services; design and development of computer hardware and software; technical support services, namely, troubleshooting computer hardware, computer peripheral, computer software and consumer electronic devices; installation, updating, maintenance and repair of computer software; technical consulting in the field of computers and consumer electronics; computer and consumer electronic diagnostic services; consulting services in the field of selection, implementation and use of computer hardware, computer software and consumer electronic systems for others; computer data recovery; consulting services in the field of selection, implementation and use of computer hardware and computer software for the operation of consumer electronic systems for others in the nature of audio, audiovisual and home and portable entertainment systems and devices. Update: This is also being covered by Apple's US trademark application 85179436 published on November 23, 2010.

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